


Wintertime Festivities

by SailorStarDust1



Series: Final Heaven: CloTi prompts [2]
Category: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: (Small reference to ACC), Canon - Original Game, Canonical Character Death, F/M, Forming a family, Friendship/Love, Post-Game(s), Prompt Fill
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-07
Updated: 2019-02-07
Packaged: 2019-10-23 04:24:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17676389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SailorStarDust1/pseuds/SailorStarDust1
Summary: Preventing Meteorfall and brimming with love for each other, Cloud and Tifa agree to a happy decision in their new relationship.Prompt Fill: Love, subprompt: Festival for Finalheaven's February Prompt Challenge.





	Wintertime Festivities

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by [SailorStarDust1](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SailorStarDust1/pseuds/SailorStarDust1) in the [FinalheavenServerFeb2019](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/FinalheavenServerFeb2019) collection. 



> Happy early Valentine’s Day❤️ (And happy birthday, dear Aerith❤️)

Chilly February finally arrived, it felt more than appropriate to leave their newfound home in Costa del Sol for a brief getaway at Icicle Inn.

Preventing Meteorfall a month ago still felt like a surreal dream, one that Cloud hoped he wouldn’t wake up from. _Thinking_ that was beyond cheesy, he felt, if he decided to be bold enough to admit such feelings to Tifa.

Wearing a teal blue long overcoat and white earmuffs over her chiller clothes—her tank top and skirt—Tifa took in the sights and sounds of town’s annual winter festival. Arriving when they did was certainly excellent timing! Peddlers shouted about their trinkets, or food and beverage for sale, alongside the curious onlookers debating what to purchase. Children accompanied by parents excitedly tugged on their sleeves, begging for a stuffed animal or something more wintery, such as a sled or ice skates.

An arm lazily draped around Tifa’s shoulder, Cloud smiled through the thick scarf over his dark jacket—Chocobo down feathers, if he remembered right?—Tifa insisted he wore to keep warm. His Buster Sword was safe and sound in their room at the inn. With the exception of a random monster, it wasn’t needed by his constant side any longer—although finally parting with it; essentially saying farewell to Zack...That was another matter entirely.

Not just yet.

Besides, had lowlives or monsters tried pulling a fast one in this quiet town, Tifa’s fists were more than enough to subdue them.

“Did you want to go take another look?”, he laughed lightly. They didn’t have lunch yet. One food stall a row back offered rabbit stew—a local, seasonal, delicacy—which her growling stomach happily agreed to.

“No worries, I can wait.” She offered a lopsided grin.

There was a familiar face sitting, alone, on one of the snow-covered benches. A seemingly foreign sense of happiness seemed to radiate off him...Tifa was especially surprised.

“Oh! Isn’t that...?” Tifa squinted. He was quietly drinking soup from a plastic container, not wearing any winter clothes given his body’s...unusual circumstances.

“Strange to run into him here of all places.”, Cloud quipped, approaching the older man with Tifa at his side, arm still around her. Tifa nodded a greeting, smiling at their comrade.

Vincent’s unearthly red eyes immediately locked on the couple in acknowledgment. He politely scooted over so they could join him.

“It’s good to see you both again.”

Cloud couldn’t help but smile, knowing the man’s words were genuine despite his usual stoic tone. “What have you been up to?”

Barret, Cid, and the others returned to their homes, their families. They lived peacefully, their towns collectively debating how to return such a massive debt to the Planet that _didn’t_ wipe out humanity once Meteor’s tremors threatened all. Resources like oil or coal was _definitely_ out of the question.

Vincent, in contrast, had no true home. Not any longer, at least, after thirty years of long sleep.

“This recent peace made me want to confirm the reality of our situation.”

Tifa cocked her head, brown hair cascading like a waterfall around her shoulders. “What did you find out, Vincent?”

A rare, easygoing, smile played on the lips of the otherwise serious-minded ex-Turk. His back reclined against the bench. Strangely content after a hearty meal cooked with pure care.

“There is absolutely nothing to worry about. By now, Jenova’s cells...have fully dissipated into the Lifestream. I simply feel regret that we couldn’t thank Aerith for summoning Holy.”

A tense breath left Cloud, shoulders visibly relaxing. Tifa glanced curiously before squeezing his hand. _That’s right. He doesn’t have to worry about being a puppet. Never again._

“...Aerith...” Her voice grew quiet with remembrance. She sensed her dear friend’s presence that fateful day. Had the flower girl’s gentle nudge for the Lifestream to assist Holy somehow backfired, their Planet would’ve...

Tifa shuddered to think. Despite sins they were guilty of in their journey—her own actions, especially, as an Avalanche member—deep in her heart, she wasn’t ready to return to the Lifestream and reunite with her dear friend just yet.

* * *

The _Highwind_ , once the threat seemed finally over, touched down atop vast Midgar Wastelands.

The group temporarily split up, most tagging along with Barret to visit Marlene and Elmyra in Kalm. Cloud, however, had something in the remains of Midgar he wanted to investigate, holding hands with Tifa the entire walk over.

A few minutes passed in strange silence as they hiked through the fields, before a cool breeze picked up. Birds began peacefully chirping through lightly rustling trees, signifying the frightening storm had past.

Smile bright, Tifa fully inhaled crisp winter air. Only a few days after the inoperational Mako reactors shut down and already mother nature began to rightfully reclaim the land.

Midgar residents all taking shelter in the Slums—the wealthy having evacuated the crumbling upper plate—meant each Sector bustled with more bodies than ever before. Business in various shops, restaurants, and inns skyrocketed; those entrepreneurs hadn’t a worry in the world. Of course, business was _especially_ booming at Wall Market’s Honey Bee Inn.

Tifa smirked at the memory of what Reeve mentioned in passing: crime factions were either too frightened of the impending apocalypse or what his personal security would do to any troublemakers in his beloved Midgar.

She looked curiously about the outskirts of Sector 5, happy to see children—regardless of social status—playing tag, laughing, shouting, having fun. Parents with crossed arms and serious expressions watched them play from a distance, murmuring to one other in complete surprise how life carried on as if it were just another normal day.

One chestnut haired boy—about 7 or so—was completely out of breath from playing. Panting, hands atop his knees, he momentarily locked eyes with Tifa standing a few feet away. She kindly smiled before he blinked and slowly smiled in return.

_After Shinra’s mess in Sector 7...How many of these children are orphans from the upper plate?_

Her face fell, smile fading with eyes hidden against her hair. Tifa’s hand clenched into a shaking, tight, fist.

“...Tifa?” Cloud, ascending the Slum church’s steps, wondered what stopped her in her tracks. The upper plate completely blown away due to a Weapon attack, he didn’t overthink about the kids playing outside, finally under that warm sunshine above.

“Don’t worry about it.”

She squeezed his hand, picking up the pace to enter the church before him. Already the wafting aroma of the flowers smelled wonderful, earthy. Those two young children appointed to watering duty looked up from their spot on the wooden floor, waving and giggling.

As Cloud stepped foot within, _she_ quietly tended the flowerbed, playful green eyes as bright as a summer’s day. The verge of a heartfelt apology caught in his throat, Cloud’s thundering heartbeat filled his head.

Aerith looked up, laughing. Instantaneous wisps of soft green light took her place as soon as the pair locked eyes.

“...! Aer—”

A gentle squeeze to his shoulder, and Cloud turned his head to see Tifa smiling again, her other hand atop one of the church’s pews, keeping mentally grounded. “She already knows.”

He nodded, ignoring the wetness stinging his eyes. “...Yeah.”

“Oh, you’re both doing a great job!” Tifa beamed, crouching to be eye level with the children before delicately raking her fingertips through wet soil.

She was tempted to pick a handful of flowers—maybe press them with Marlene’s help, before offering them to the group, in memory of their angel. Still, something told her to wait.

“Hey! Where’s the flower lady?”, the little girl curiously asked Cloud. She’d taken to playing with some mud (the watering can next to her). He sat in one of the pews with a contemplative expression, needing to mentally rest.

He blinked, innocent question catching him off guard. “Oh, she’s..” Cloud debated how to explain. It must’ve been a trick of the sunlight filtering down. _These kids noticed her, too?_

The little boy was full of cheer. “I hope she’ll come back soon!”

Immediately, Cloud and Tifa exchanged smiles.

“She will. By the way, the best way to........”, Tifa began, offering some gardening tips to the immediately interested kids.

Silently, Cloud couldn’t help but admire her kindness.

* * *

Since then, that one lonely boy’s honest smile flashed through her mind at least once a day.

Tifa bit her lip, absentmindedly watching a group of kids have a snowball fight. Wasn’t there anything she could do? The _right_ thing to do in this situation, that was. Most of the children in Sector 5—such as those two in the church—had families and homes to return after another carefree day.

Something about the thought—no hot meals or a soft bed for him to wake up in—made her heart ache in pure sadness. It was similar dread to leaving little Marlene completely alone.

“Hey...Cloud?”

Limbs lazily stretched across the bench, the swordsman looked up, obliviously gnawing a mouthful of turkey leg. “Mh?”

“I was just thinking...Um.” Slow sipping the rabbit stew gave her enough time to mentally formulate that potentially crazy idea rustled up in her stressed out brain.

With the surprising claim of feeling tired, Vincent excused himself earlier, retiring to his own room at the inn. Tifa suspected he wanted to give herself and Cloud time alone, which was fine.

Together the trio would take part in the festival’s sunset bonfire, Icicle Inn community roasting marshmallows and singing—well, Vincent and Cloud mutually agreed to leave any campfire songs to Tifa. Already an amateur pianist, music was more _her_ forte! ...Perhaps they’d join in after a few spiced ales too many.

“Do you remember that little boy we saw a month ago, in Midgar? W—well, I was thinking that...Maybe we should...” She cleared her throat.

Frustrated, her earrings swayed from sudden movement, empty food container forcefully chucked into a trashcan. “I mean, what if he’s all alone?!”

“It’s not just about atoning.” Cloud shook his head before his fingers interlaced with Tifa’s.

Holding her hand, Cloud’s thumb soothingly stroked the top of her Premium Heart. Nearly two months of officially dating, and Tifa’s beloved _still_ caused butterflies to excitedly flutter about her stomach.

Hopeful for the future and with ease in his heart, he continued. “We’ll find him again. I promise.”


End file.
